New Mercedes-AMG hybrid hypercar will use Formula 1 engine

It was recently confirmed by the Paris Motor Show research teams that the Mercedes-AMG division and by its Formula 1 engineers were now working on a road-going hypercar project. As announced, the core of this new AMG hypercar is a hybrid powertrain derived from Mercedes’ highly successful Formula 1 program.

There have been rumors that this new Mercedes-AMG hypercar would employ the same turbocharged 1.6-liter V6 engine used by the current W07 F1 car. There have been also rumors that the hypercar would use an engine inspired by this 90-degree angle V6 paired with an electric drive and ERS system. Interestingly, Mercedes-AMG chief executive Tobias Moers admitted to CarAdvice that the heart of the new road-going F1-based hypercar will not only be “inspired” by a Formula 1 engine.

It seems that the AMG hypercar might have a powerplant that is at par with the current F1 engine. The hypercar project may employ an actual F1 engine but with certain limitations.

To note, F1 cars have been employing 1.6-liter, turbocharged V6 engines supported by a hybrid system and fed by kinetic and heat energy recovery systems. Mercedes’ F1 powertrain currently develops around 1,000 hp in qualifying mode.

However, Moer has clearly noted that the situation on the road is different from that of the race track, but he clarifies that the difference is not that big. A road car has a different set of demands and running conditions from that of an F1 car. For instance, a road car usually runs on lower grades of fuel than that of the octane-filled gas for F1 cars. Also, Mercedes’ F1 engine runs up to 15,000 rpm, which could be too much for the road. This means that the engine of the hypercar would have to be adapted to take care of the differences.

But since the new hypercar will be powered by a hybrid powertrain, AMG’s focus will not be just on the high-output engine. AMG’s top honcho has indicated that the Energy Recovery System (ERS) used in F1 cars would be used more aggressively in the hypercar. Moers noted that the objective was to come up with the most efficient hybrid car ever.

Furthermore, AMG is targeting to make the hypercar as light as 1,000 kg (2,200 lbs), and is planning to employ a carbon fiber construction (body and chassis) to achieve this goal. The new hypercar’s agility and handling are expected to be backed by active aerodynamics.

AMG is expected to unveil the new hypercar – which has yet to be named – in 2017, coinciding with its 50th anniversary.